⚡ Quick Summary
This study explores the establishment of a Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) infrastructure in Indonesia using Starlink technology to enhance care for the aging population suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. With an alarming 87% increase in Alzheimer’s cases from 2019 to 2022, this initiative aims to bridge the healthcare gap in remote areas.
🔍 Key Details
- 🌐 Technology: Starlink satellite broadband internet
- 🏝️ Geography: 16,771 islands in Indonesia
- 📱 Application: WhatsApp for patient-clinician communication
- 🏥 Pilot Study: Conducted by Udayana University in Bali
- 📈 Health Statistics: 87% increase in Alzheimer’s cases from 2019 to 2022
🔑 Key Takeaways
- 🌍 Internet access is crucial for modern healthcare delivery in remote areas.
- 🤖 AI and Digital Health (DH) tools can significantly improve Alzheimer’s and dementia care.
- 📊 Starlink provides reliable internet connectivity across Indonesia’s diverse geography.
- 💡 Innovative solutions like WhatsApp are being tested to connect patients with clinicians.
- 🏆 Potential for reducing health disparities on a national level through improved access to care.
- 📚 Collaboration between clinicians, scientists, and engineers is essential for success.
- 🧓 Aging population in Indonesia faces significant healthcare challenges that need addressing.
- 🚀 Exporting innovations from the US could enhance the quality of life for the elderly in Indonesia.
📚 Background
Indonesia’s healthcare system has faced challenges in providing adequate care for its aging population, particularly in remote areas. The rise of Alzheimer’s disease, which has surged by 87% in recent years, highlights the urgent need for effective monitoring and care solutions. Traditional healthcare delivery methods have struggled to meet the demands of a diverse population spread across thousands of islands, making innovative solutions essential.
🗒️ Study
The study focuses on establishing a robust RPM infrastructure utilizing Starlink satellite technology to provide consistent internet access across Indonesia’s 16,771 islands. By leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT), the initiative aims to connect patients in both urban and remote areas, including the 12,000 villages lacking 4G internet access. A pilot study in Bali will assess the feasibility of this RPM system, particularly in rural settings like Batur village and Nusa Penida.
📈 Results
The implementation of Starlink technology is expected to significantly enhance the delivery of healthcare services to the aging population in Indonesia. By solving the issue of internet connectivity, healthcare providers can utilize advanced AI and DH tools to improve care for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, ultimately reducing health disparities across the nation.
🌍 Impact and Implications
This initiative has the potential to transform healthcare delivery in Indonesia, particularly for the elderly. By ensuring reliable internet access, healthcare professionals can offer timely and effective care, improving the quality of life for those affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia. The collaboration between various sectors—healthcare, technology, and engineering—could serve as a model for other countries facing similar challenges.
🔮 Conclusion
The establishment of a Remote Patient Monitoring infrastructure using Starlink technology represents a significant step forward in addressing the healthcare needs of Indonesia’s aging population. By integrating modern technologies and innovative communication methods, we can enhance the quality of care for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Continued research and collaboration are essential to fully realize the benefits of this initiative and improve healthcare outcomes for the elderly.
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Establishing a Remote Patient Monitoring Infrastructure with Starlink in Indonesia for the Aging Population to Improve Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Modernizing the remote patient monitoring (RPM) infrastructure in Indonesia has historically been limited by the unmet need of access to internet connectivity. New advancements made possible by Starlink and the internet of things (IoT) for RPM present new opportunities to connect people separated by geography and diverse cultural variations which includes over 700 languages and dialects. Alzheimer’s disease has increased by 87% from 2019 to 2022 and similar challenges in the United States apply to Indonesia; the cost of care, nurse shortage, and large aging population. Clinicians, scientists, and engineers now have the potential to solve the unmet need of insufficient aging care by leapfrogging previous technologies with the latest in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital health (DH).
METHOD: Establishing internet connection across the 16,771 islands is the first step to creating a communication network that provides the aging population in Indonesia access to the benefits of modern healthcare. With consistent and reliable access to internet access through Starlink satellite broadband internet a constellation of devices can be utilized in urban and remote areas such as the 12,000 villages that have no 4G internet access. For example WhatsApp is currently being tested to connect patients to clinicians because this application does not need a cellular plan. A pilot study conducted by Udayana University, Bali, could test the feasibility of delivering a RPM system to rural areas such as Batur village and the island of Nusa Penida.
RESULT: Solving the problem of lack of access to internet connectivity in Indonesia creates tremendous opportunity to deliver state of the art AI and DH tools to clinicians for Alzheimer’s, dementia care and healthcare overall, reducing health disparities on a national level.
CONCLUSION: Exporting the latest innovations from the top biomedical research institutions in the US to Indonesia could benefit the aging population by increasing their quality of life. Starlink is a key component of establishing access to communication infrastructure by allowing Indonesia’s public health insurance system, BPJS, to reach people in remote places.
Author: [‘Kresnasandi IB’, ‘Johnson BB’]
Journal: Alzheimers Dement
Citation: Kresnasandi IB and Johnson BB. Establishing a Remote Patient Monitoring Infrastructure with Starlink in Indonesia for the Aging Population to Improve Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care. Establishing a Remote Patient Monitoring Infrastructure with Starlink in Indonesia for the Aging Population to Improve Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care. 2024; 20:(unknown pages). doi: 10.1002/alz.093132